DIY Christmas Light Orbs

They say everything’s bigger in Texas. While I’m not sure that applies to EVERYTHING, it seems to apply to Christmas light displays. We can walk around our own little neighborhood and be treated to a festive feast for the eyes. No inflatable lawn ornament too large. No color combination too garish. The bigger, the brighter, the more overwhelming, the better, At least that’s how my 3 under 5 see it. In Clare’s eyes, we have the lamest house on the block even though I have presented miniature Christmas trees lining the walkway, giant twinkling snowflakes and multi-color lights. MULTI-COLORED LIGHTS! I’ve broken promises I made a long time ago to a pre-kid Jacinda. While I may draw the line at 10ft cacti wearing a Santa hat, part of me still wants to make my littles ooh and ahh over their own home. This weekend I managed to turn their heads with my DIY glowing Christmas orbs so I thought I would share how I made them. I love these so much that I want them up year round, maybe in white, although I am warming to the Tijuana Dive Bar vibe.

This is embarrassingly simple. Buy a roll of Chicken Wire. 2 foot wide worked well.

Cut a square of Chicken Wire as large as possible. This is 24″ x 24″

Bend 2 opposite corners in to meet and wrap wire ends together to secure.

Bend the opposite two corners in and sculpt Chicken wire into a sphere at the same time. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Leave the tail of the lights with the “male” plug loose for hanging your orb later, and wrap a string of lights all around the ball of wire.

If it feels loose you can secure with twist ties. At the end, tuck the female plug into the chicken wire.

We hung ours from a curtain rod but I would love to make more to scatter in our flower beds, in pots and even just piled in a corner.